Merlin's Love
by Lukas Turner
Summary: So you know in S2:E9 where Merlin meets the Druid girl and falls in love with her? And then she dies? Yeah. I remember it too. But what if Merlin managed to save her? What would have happened then? Rated T for now, but the rating might go up!
1. Chapter 1

**(So, I've just watched the entire Merlin series (Yes, all five seasons) and thought that I would write a fanfiction for S2:E9, where Merlin meets the Druid girl and takes care of her. But instead of her dying, Merlin manages to save her.**

**I thought it would be a good change from constantly writing Artemis Fowl fanfics.**

**Also, this is an AU where Arthur is already the king.)**

_"I promised I'd look after you. And I will. No matter what."_

As Freya ran through the streets of Camelot, Merlin's voice replayed over and over in her head.

_"You really don't realize how special you are, do you?"_

_"I've never known anyone like you."_

_"Being different is nothing to be scared of."_

Freya tripped and fell against a wall, breathing heavily.

_I need to get away from here, before I kill anybody else._

"There she is!" A frantic shout from one of the guards caused her to run again.

Eventually, she found herself cornered in a small courtyard. Nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide. Already, the Knights of Camelot were converging around her, swords out, poised to strike on King Arthur's command.

Then the bells struck midnight.

_Not again..._ Freya thought hopelessly as she underwent her painful transformation once again.

_Run!_, she wanted to yell. _Run from me as fast as you can!_ But the pain would not allow it.

Freya could not feel anything. The murderous creature had taken control of her entire being. However, she did feel when Arthur stabbed her in the shoulder. And boy, did it hurt like hell. The monster retreated and attempted to run to another secluded corner, but the Knights cornered her there too.

In the midst of her pain, Freya saw Merlin run into the courtyard and stare astonished at her monstrous form.

_He hates me now, I'm sure of it._

But even so, a little bit of the good Freya came out. Arthur and his men would see the monster become just a little more subdued, a little calmer.

Seeing his chance, Merlin looked up. Seeing a gargoyle poised perfectly were he wanted, he used his magic to sever the already weak link in the neck. The head fell silently to the ground, after the _crunch_ of stone breaking. Arthur dove out of the way, the rest following suit.

What was not so silent was the _CRASH!_ that the stone head made as it collided rather violently with the cobblestone.

Merlin watched as the _Bastet_ spread its wings and flew off into the night.

Already knowing where it was headed, Merlin ran full tilt to their hiding place. He found Freya, still in _Bastet_ form, huddled in an alcove. Seeing him, she fled deeper into the tunnel, to _their_ alcove.

Merlin followed, desperate to be with her, even if she wasn't human. He expected to find the _Bastet_, still wary of his presence, afraid.

What he found instead was a small, broken Druid girl, just as terrified as when they had met. Her clothes, if they could have been called clothes, now hung off her otherwise naked shoulders, torn to shreds.

Merlin took off his own jacket and draped it over Freya's shoulders.

"You must hate me," she sobbed, still refusing to look at Merlin.

"No," Merlin insisted, pushing her hair away from her face.

"I'm a monster." Freya explained, still hysterical, how a man had attacked her several years ago, so when his sorceress mother found out she had killed him in her fear, she cursed her to 'kill forevermore'.

Merlin listened patiently, inspecting Freya's shoulder wound as she spoke.

"It's too deep," she said. "It can't be healed."

**(A/N: This is where things change up a bit.)**

"Shh." Merlin laid his hands on her shoulder and recited an incantation. Moments later, the ugly hole was reduced to an angry pink scar. It still hurt, yes, but now not so much so that Freya couldn't move her arm around.

"There you go." Merlin helped her up, picking up Morgana's dress too.

Once Freya had gotten the dress on, she leaned into Merlin, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"You'll be okay," he said. "We can still leave. I'll find a cure, and you'll never kill again."

Freya nodded, still unable to speak.

Suddenly, the door to the tunnel burst open. The sounds of a single set of footsteps echoed in Merlin's ears. He had been Arthur's servant long enough that he knew Arthur's footsteps when he heard them.

Sure enough, Arthur appeared in the tunnel, looking expectantly at Merlin.

"What, exactly," he said, "Are you doing with the Druid girl?"

"I - I saw the Bastet coming into here, and I decided to follow it," Merlin lied easily.

"And why is she in Morgana's dress? And why are you _hugging_?"

Seeing no way out of this, Merlin released Freya, shrugged and smiled and waited for the punishment, as he always did.

"I saw what happened with the gargoyle, Merlin," Arthur continued, "And now so many things make sense, like how and why you managed to steal my sausage yesterday."

Merlin continued to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about. All I did was a little sleight of hand."

Arthur adopted his usual _You-gotta-be-kidding-me-I-see-right-through-that_ stance.

"I know you have magic, Merlin."

Merlin adopted his _I'm-fucking-dead_ stance, then realized how he could _maybe, possibly_ get out of execution.

"You know what, Arthur?" Merlin's voice became assertive, the way it always did when he was angry. "I _do_ have magic. And do you want to know what I've used it for?"

"Do tell."

"I've used my magic to save people's lives, Arthur. Yours especially. You remember when the snake came out of the shield? That was me. You remember when I stopped the dagger killing you, right before I became your servant? _That was me, using my magic._"

"Magic is a good thing, Arthur. And you are too much of a clotpole to see it!"

Arthur walked toward Merlin, stopping three inches away from his face. Freya hurriedly backed away, out of the immediate reach of Arthur's sword.

"You're lucky that I'm the King, instead of my father," he said in a deadly tone, "Or I fear you may already be dead."

"And what about her?" Arthur asked, taking a step backwards and gesturing to Freya. "What about the cursed Druid girl? You saw what she did to those people. what she _is_."

"I'm trying to figure that out!" Merlin shouted. "Freya is not a killer!

Arthur's words pierced Freya to the core. _What she is_. Equally, Merlin's reply bolstered her spirit a little. Then what he said hit her head on. For Merlin to defend her and risk his life in front of the King of Camelot meant that she must mean something to him, more than just a sack of coins.

"All I want," Merlin continued, "Is for Freya to be able to live so I can cure her! Then you'll never have to worry about her again!"

Arthur was not interested. "Why should I let her live? She has already killed five people, doubtless she will kill more."

"Why should you let her live? _Why should you let her live?_" Merlin was aghast. "The reason you should let her live, Arthur, is because I love her! And if you know anything about love you'd do the same!"

Arthur sighed, thinking.

"You have twenty-three hours to find a way to keep her under control at night, and three days to cure her entirely," he said eventually. "As for your magic, I would have to execute you, as the law states."

Merlin's face fell. He was done for.

"But, because you have saved my life on multiple occasions, you are instead banished from Camelot for a period of five years."

Merlin quickly decided that this was a much better alternative than death.

"You will depart as soon as the three days are over." And with that, Arthur left the tunnel to go back to his chambers and think. And goodness knows that thinking is bad for you.

**(Well, what a rollercoaster of emotions _that _was!**

**I'll update again once I have another chapter. Until then, peace!)**


	2. Chapter 2

**(Ha! I told you I would update as soon as I had another chapter! And here I am. This story is gonna be a bit fast-paced throughout the first few chapters, but then it's gonna mellow out.)**

"Gaius!" Merlin's shout echoed through the small room.

The old physician was awake immediately.

"Really, Merlin," Gaius complained, standing. "You don't have to shout." He saw Freya and sighed, putting his hands on his hips. "What did you do this time? Why is the Druid girl here?"

Merlin had been rifling through the bookshelves, but now he stood, arms slack at his sides.

"I've been banished from Camelot. And her name is Freya, not _The Druid girl_."

Gaius almost had a heart attack then and there. "Goodness, Merlin, what did you _do?_"

"I, ah, was a little careless when I used my magic. I helped Freya escape, and Arthur saw me."

Gaius appeared next to Merlin, brandishing a book. "You're lucky you're not dead," he said. He whacked Merlin on the head with the thick manuscript, then thrust the book into his arms. Merlin looked at the title. It read _Cursed Creatures and Cures_.

"How did you know what I was doing?" Merlin asked.

Gaius winked. "You've become predictable."

Freya chuckled. "Merlin, if it helps, the creature I turn into is called -"

"A _Bastet_," Merlin finished, using his magic to find the correct page in seconds. After giving the page a cursory look, Merlin's face brightened considerably.

"What is it?" Freya asked.

"The spell is simple!" Merlin exclaimed. "We could do it in half an hour!"

Gaius was skeptical, as he always was. "Surely it's not _that_ simple, there has to be a downside."

"Well, of course there is. We need a dragon."

Gaius rolled his eyes. "And I don't suppose you would have one of those lying around?"

Merlin was already halfway out the door, beckoning Freya to come with him. "Actually, I do."

"Why am I not surprised?"

**(Okay. A quick little note on the Ancient Language. I took some of the audio from when Merlin was calling the Great Dragon and typed it down as best I could. I'm not a linguist, I don't know how it actually is spelled. I'm sure the letter variations are fucked up too.)**

_"Nú Dragón! Múla sapha tangómatà teshút talikhen!"_

Merlin's loud command boomed through the forest. Both he and Freya watched the skies, waiting for the Great Dragon. Within moments, a dark shape hurtled through the night sky, landing in the clearing.

"You called?" came the Dragon's slow, patient voice.

"I need a favor." Merlin extended his hand towards Freya. "She's been cursed by a sorcerer to change into a _Bastet_ every night and kill innocent people."

The Great Dragon looked down at Merlin with his wide, yellow eyes.

"And what did she do to deserve this curse?"

"She killed a man in self defense."

The dragon looked at Freya. "That is indeed a great crime," he said. "How do you know she will not do it again?"

"Because I'd rather die than kill another innocent person," Freya said, in a voice that sounded too confident to be her own.

The Great Dragon regarded Freya carefully, examining the inner workings of her soul, as only a dragon could do.

"Very well," he eventually decided. He turned his head to Merlin. "I trust you know your part?"

Merlin nodded. He extended both his hands toward Freya and began chanting in the ancient magical language.

Amid Merlin's words, the Great Dragon exhaled in Freya's direction, releasing a blast of healing magic strong enough to wipe out a plague. Freya doubled over in pain, feeling the _bastet_ rearing its head inside her soul, begging for blood.

The sight of Freya in so much pain almost caused Merlin to stumble over his words, but he kept his tongue in check, just barely. He could feel his magic surging within him, stronger than he had ever felt it. His words, previously a mere mutter, grew to a shout as he channeled the Dragon's magic and his own to target Freya's _Bastet_, drawing it out into his own mind. From there, Merlin cast it into the world of Men. No sooner had he did so than the Great Dragon, his part fulfilled, snatched it up in his huge claws and pierced it to the heart, killing it instantly. The dead creature fell to the earth with a resounding _WHUMP!_

It didn't even have time to roar.

Merlin stared at it for a moment in shock, then shouted with pure joy.

"We did it!"

Meanwhile, Arthur watched the entire thing from his window.

_Was I right to banish Merlin?_ he thought.

_Of course. Look at him, he's using magic,_ the side of him loyal to his father protested.

_But he's never done any harm with it. Now that I know about it, I can see that he's used it to save my life._

_Magic can never be allowed in Camelot._ Arthur was surprised at how much this side of him sounded like his father.

_You're a clotpole_, Arthur replied, refusing to think about it anymore. Instead, he went down to the courtyard.

"Merlin!" he called.

His old servant turned around immediately. "What?"

Arthur sighed. "I've been thinking..."

"Oh no."

"Shut up. I've been thinking about your magic and... I've decided that you are no longer banished from Camelot."

"Magic will be allowed once more."

**(Well. **_**That**_** was a doozy.**

**Please review!)**


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